


And So He Sleeps

by RDJ_luvet



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Canon Disabled Character, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Bucky Barnes, Hurt Steve Rogers, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Tony Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-17
Updated: 2016-09-09
Packaged: 2018-07-15 16:26:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7229965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RDJ_luvet/pseuds/RDJ_luvet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky wakes up from a two year coma to find that the world has gone on without him. Including Steve. Steve has a new boyfriend, Tony. </p><p>(It sounds sad but I promise there's a happy ending. Keep watch on the tags, they might change)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bucky?

"Hey, Buck. It's me again, they keep telling me that you can hear me, but it's been two years, Bucky, I don't... I don't know if I believe them anymore. I met someone, a man, he's sweet, I think you'd like him. Just because.... Because I'm going to be seeing him, doesn't mean that I love you less. I hope you don't see it that way." 

Steve takes a deep breath, willing the tears away. He squeezes Bucky's limp hand tighter, letting him know he's still there. 

He thinks he loves Tony, he knows he does. But he also loves Bucky, and can't help but feel as though he's betraying him. 

He leans over to kiss Bucky's forehead, lightly brushing a piece of hair off first. "Maybe I'll bring him with me sometime. I'll see you in a couple days, I love you Buck" Steve says, his voice cracking at the end. He gently lets go of his hand and tucks it back under the blanket, he knows that Bucky always liked to be bundled under the covers. 

He walks out of the room that's become very familiar these last couple years. 

}{}{}{}{}{}{

2 years ago

Steve was standing at the sink in his studio washing his paintbrushes, he had just finished a painting for a client and was cleaning up. He was going to start dinner soon, but wanted to wait until Bucky got home from his work as a mechanic. 

His phone started ringing from his desk so he quickly dried his hands and the brush in his hand and scurried over. He picked up the phone without bothering to look at the caller ID. 

'Hello, Mr Rogers?' the voice on the other end started. Before Steve could answer though they had started speaking again. Steve could only pick out a few words. 'James Barnes. The hospital. Emergency contact. We need you to come now. It's an emergency. Involved in a collision.'

Steve drops the paintbrush onto his floor. 

The next couple hours passed in a blur. One second he was driving to the hospital and the next he was sitting in the waiting room with Bucky's best friend Natasha beside him. 

They had to wait a couple hours in uncomfortable plastic chairs while Bucky was in surgery. All they knew was that Bucky had been on his motorcycle stopped at a red light when a drunk women had crashed into him from behind, sending him over the hood and then under another car. Steve hated the mental images he got from that so he tried not to dwell on it. Instead focused on Nat beside him cursing and calling Bucky an idiot under her breath. 

When a nurse finally comes in and tells them that they can go in, Steve stands up on shaky legs and follows her silently, only staying grounded by the hand that Natasha has wrapped around his own. 

When they turn a corner and look in the room, the sight almost makes Steve collapse to the ground. Where Bucky's left arm used to be, there's an inch thick wrapping of gauze tied all around the top of his left bicep where his arm stops. He also has bandages covering his head and some of his face. His left leg is in a cast and he's bruised almost everywhere else. 

The nurse also tells him that he has a broken shoulder blade and a few broken and cracked ribs. Bucky has tubes all around him, three going into separate places in his right arm, and one long tube that goes down his throat, and cords going into his hospital gown and connecting to certain places on his back and chest. 

Steve doesn't know how long he stands there, but he does know that when Natasha gently prods him towards the empty chair beside Bucky's bed, he doesn't think twice about sitting and taking Bucky's hand in his, careful of the IV. 

The doctor comes in and explains more but Steve isn't listening anymore. The doctor tells him that Bucky should wake up in the next day or two, but he doesn't. 

Steve sits and waits, and waits, and waits.

Eventually they stop saying he's unconscious and start saying he's in a coma. 

Steve went into see him daily, waiting for the day when he would get to see Bucky's beautiful blue eyes again. Sometimes he'd bring his sketchbook, other times he'd read, but most of the time he sat there and talked. He talked about his day, about their shared memory's and about how much he misses Bucky. He pleads with Bucky's peaceful form to wake up. But Bucky doesn't wake up. 

So Steve waits, and waits, and waits. 

}{}{}{}{}{}{

Later that night, he was lying in bed with Tony curled up on his chest. They were both awake but quiet, Tony knew how quiet Steve got after a visit to the hospital. He accepted it. 

"Tell me about him" Tony whispers into Steve's chest. Steve's takes a deep breath and is quiet for a moment longer, trying to find a way to describe the amazingness that is James Barnes. "He... He was everything, he could make me laugh so easily and quickly just by being an idiot, even if I was miserable. And if you said one thing, like that he nice eyes, or you like his shirt, his whole face would light up like you personally have him the moon." 

Steve pauses as he remembers the way Bucky would smile, the way his eyes would shine and the way he would duck his head and blush. 

"I've known him since kindergarten when he was running around with a bucket on his head and crashed into a tree. And everyday since then he's still acted like that stupid silly kid that ran into a tree. And now..." He trails off. He doesn't want to talk about Bucky, but he also never wants to stop talking about Bucky. 

"I'd like to go see him with you next time, if that's ok" Tony says when it's apparent that Steve isn't going to say anymore. Steve nods and kisses his forehead. "I'm going back tomorrow, if you really want to come" he says. Tony nods and presses his lips to Steve's bare chest "ok, tomorrow then."

}{}{}{}{}{}{

Tomorrow morning starts off as normal, Tony makes them breakfast while Steve feeds the dogs. 

He and Bucky had gotten the puppy's together when they finally moved in together, 1 year before the accident. They're labs mixed with German Shepard, they're named Captain and Sargent, Cap and Sarg for short, named after they're two favourite comic characters. 

So many times Steve wished he could bring the two dogs with him to see Bucky, he was convinced that if Bucky could be surrounded by the love the dogs gave him, he would wake up, but unfortunately it was against hospital rules. 

The dogs have never been the same since Bucky got injured, they used to be so full of life and joy every minute of every day, but now they only ever had short bursts of energy. It broke Steve's heart to see them lie in their bed with one of Bucky's old t-shirts, Steve had given it to them when they had stopped eating a month after the accident. It had long since stopped smelling of Bucky but they've never destroyed it like they do everything else. 

While they sit down for breakfast with Cap and Sarg sitting quietly in the living room, Steve feels Tony's nerves running off of him in waves. 

Steve reaches across the table and takes his hand "it's gonna be ok, you don't have to come with me, it's ok" Steve tells him. Tony looks down and fidgets in his seat "no... I'm ok, I'm gonna come" he says. 

They finish breakfast and go for their daily run, sometimes they run together with both dogs or other times Steve will take Sarg for a longer, faster run while Tony will take Cap for a shorter jog. Tony doesn't know it, but Steve takes Sarg on the route that he and Bucky would always take together, somethings Tony doesn't need to know about. 

}{}{}{}{}{}{

When they go to the garage to drive to the hospital, Steve gives Buck's motorcycle a fond pat, after the accident the police had released it to him, Steve refused to fix it up, said he'd leave that to Bucky, so now it sat parked in their garage, still mangled from that awful day, but nonetheless beautiful. 

The drive to the hospital is silent and tense, when they arrive Steve does the exact same thing he does every time, he stops at the nurse station and has a long discussion with Sharon, he asks the same questions he always does, if there's any change, if his G tube has been acting up again, if his IV lines are loose or need to be changed, when the last time he had a wash was, things like that. 

Sharon tells him that he had a spike of brain activity that morning, that he was dreaming. He also opened his eyes for a bit and moved his hand. None of that is big news to Steve, but he still loves hearing it. 

Tony stands silently while they talk, when they take the short walk to Bucky's room he stands by the doorway. 

Tony watches as Steve carefully moves a piece of hair off of the man's forehead and presses a kiss there. Tony has long since stopped feeling jealous when Steve gushes over Bucky, he thinks he understands how important this man was- is to Steve. But he can't help the little pang he gets when he sees how breathtakingly attractive this man really is. Even with his chin length hair and a couple days old stubble. 

He stands there awkwardly while Steve sits beside the bed and takes the mans only hand in his, rubbing a thumb over his knuckles. Steve's is saying something but Tong can't hear him. Then Steve looks over at Tony expectantly and Tony realizes he must want him to come closer. 

He takes the short steps over to the bed slowly, looking at all the monitors around him. 

Steve lays his other hand on Bucky's leg and then takes one of Tony's hands to do the same. Tony goes willingly if not a bit tense, but he lays his hand on the mans leg. 

They leave the hospital a bit later, after Steve has talked about everything and anything, he says goodbye and promises that he'll be back soon. 

}{}{}{}{}{}{

That night Steve's phone rings. He blearily sits up after disentangling himself from Tony's grabby limbs. He clumsily grabs his phone and answers. He's surprised to hear Sharon's voice on the other end. "He's awake"

}{}{}{}{}{}{


	2. Where Were You?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky wakes up scared and alone

}{}{}{}{}{}{

"He's awake" Steve feels like the entire world just dropped out from under him. "W-what?" He croaked, suddenly wide awake. 

"He, James, he woke up" Steve's brain finally catches up to him and he gets out of bed "how long ago? How is he?" He asks frantically looking for his pants. "Just a couple minutes ago. He's very confused and keeps asking for you. We don't know how much he remembers or how aware he is at the moment. Would you mind coming?" She asks over the line. He nods his head and then remembers that she can't see him "yeah, yeah I'm leaving right now" he says pulling on his pants. 

They hang up and Steve's attention is brought back to the bed, where Tony is sitting up and watching him. 

"H-he, Bucky woke up" Steve explains shakily, still trying to put on his shirt properly. Tony looks down at his lap. They both know the unspoken request, that Tony should stay home. It's needless to say but Tony still says it. "I'll... I'll stay here, you go." Steve nods and almost runs down the stairs to the front door, hopping on one foot to put on his shoes. 

He makes his way to his car in the garage, this time refusing to look at the motorcycle. He climbs into his car, and notices that his visor is down, forcing him to look at the sleeping face of Bucky. It was his favourite picture of him, he took it a few months before the accident, he had woken up and couldn't help but take a picture so he could draw it later, the way the sun was cast down on Bucky's face, making his eyelashes glint and his face look softer despite the soft stubble. That morning after Steve had taken a couple pictures he had slowly woken Bucky up with soft kisses. 

Steve closed his visor and drove off on the familiar route to the hospital. He couldn't decide if he was more nervous or excited to see Bucky. He had no idea what he was going to walk into, he didn't know how much Bucky remembered, and that made him scared as hell. But to finally be able to see Bucky alert and awake after two whole years of nothing.... Made him step on the gas a bit harder. 

He's not sure what he's going to do about the situation with Tony, but he doesn't have time to think about it before he's driving into the underground parking. 

He gets out and waves to Clint, the security guard, he knows him because of how many times he come in the middle of the night when Clint is on shift. His husband is one of Bucky's doctors as well, Dr Phillip Coulson. Clint gives him a sympathetic smile when they pass, so it's clear that Phil has passed on the news of Bucky's sudden awaken. 

When Steve walks to the elevator, his hand hovers over the button, trembling slightly. He closes his hand in a fist and takes a breath before finally pressing the button. 

On the way up he realizes that it's Saturday, in the middle of the night, meaning that none of the usual nurses are working. And Steve knows that on Saturday, the later shifts are given out completely randomly to the on call nurses. So none of these nurses know Bucky or Steve.

The elevator doors open and Steve is hit by guilt when he hears muffled cries and grunts coming from Bucky's room down the hall. Steve suddenly forgets all about his past nerves and runs to Bucky's room. But he pauses in the doorway to take in the upsetting sight. 

Bucky is restrained on his stomach on the bed, he's struggling sluggishly, either because his muscles are incredibly weak or because they've given him something. Bucky's head is turned away from the door but Steve can just make out the side of his face. He's bright red, either from anger or embarrassment or both, his eye is scrunched up tight and closed, his vein on his temple is pulsing and his face is wet from both sweat and tears. 

Before he thought that Bucky was facing his head to the right away from the door, but upon second glance he notices that a nurse is holding his head there, it seems that Bucky is still trying to turn his head to the left. Trying to look at where his arm used to be. 

Sharon is crouched by Bucky's head, trying to talk to him but he doesn't appear to be listening. 

"Stop! Untie him!" Steve tells them sternly. He watches as all of the nurses suddenly freeze to look up at him. Bucky doesn't seem to notice, he's still crying and grunting and trying to break free and turn his head. 

"Sir, I don't think that's a good idea, he's panicking and struggling, we want to wait until he calms down" a nurse tells him. "He's not going to calm down until you stop crowding him and untie him. Look at him, he's obviously afraid and upset." Steve tries to explain to them. Sometimes nurses can't tell what's best for their patients. 

They turn their heads back to Bucky, watching him clench his eyes tighter and whimper, tears still streaming down his beat red face.   
Steve sees the exact moment it clicks into place for the nurse crouched by Bucky's head. She nods and wordlessly the two nurses who were trying to keep Bucky still calmly started to untie him. 

Bucky immediately starts to try and get up onto his knees, but Steve steps forward to place a gentle hand onto Bucky's back, rubbing soothing circles. Bucky stops grunting and starts to whimper, he stops squeezing his eyes shut and let's his tears fall down the side of his face. 

Steve shoots a look to the nurse still holding Bucky's head down and he lets go, backing out of the room. The nurse at Bucky's head stands up but stays at the end of the bed. Steve knows that they have to write reports and take Bucky's vitals, but Steve just wants to help Bucky. 

Steve walks around the bed to Bucky's right side and crouches down where the nurse used to be, he continues to rub circles between Bucky's shoulder blades and places his other hand lightly atop Bucky's head. 

Slowly Bucky blinks open his beautiful baby blue eyes and this time they're full of life instead of dull like the many times Steve has seen them these past years. 

"S'eve" Bucky scratches out, voice cracking three separate times in just that one syllable, but it's the most amazing things he's heard in an incredibly long time. 

"Yeah Buck, it's me" he says, he's not expecting it when Bucky throws his arm around Steve's shoulders and bury's his face into his neck, hiccuping sobs wracking his skinny frame. 

Steve carefully maneuvers them both onto the bed, every time his hold on Bucky moves, Bucky's hand clenches painfully into Steve's back, but he couldn't care less, he finally has his man in his arms again. 

"I-I di'nt kno-ow w-where I was.... Y-y-ou weren't he-ere" Bucky croaks into his neck. Steve's heart breaks and he rubs circles into Bucky's back "shh, shhh, it's ok Buck, I'm here now, you're ok. Just calm down, just breathe, c'mon baby, it's ok" Steve keeps up the steady flow of calming nonsense until he feels Bucky's breaths even out again. He thinks Bucky's fallen back asleep but he can't be sure, and he doesn't want to disturb him to check. 

Eventually he must fall asleep too, his chin resting on top of Bucky's head, that's also how Tony finds them, two hours later...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EEEEEEEEEKKK!!!!
> 
> Sorry I took literally forever to update, I was too focused on school starting up and a couple of my other fics, I don't have a set schedule for this fic, but I will be updating soon
> 
> Thank you to whoever is putting up with my bullshit

**Author's Note:**

> Oh no! What have I done? Please don't hate me! I promise there's more. 
> 
> Please please please give me feedback


End file.
